Formal Invitation

1 Discuss these questions in pairs.

1. What kind of people visit your place of work? Why do they need to visit you?
2. Do you normally invite people by phone, by email or by letter?
3. How do they travel to your place of work? Is it easy to find?

2 Read the email and answer these questions.

1. Why is Ms Sanchez going to visit Ewa Gobcewicz at the Ashton Hotel?

2. Match the purpose (a–c) to the paragraph (1–3) in the email.
a. giving directions
b. giving an invitation
c. giving further details and instructions

Dear Ms Sanchez
Further to your application for the post of Front of Hotel Manager at the Ashton Hotel, London, I
am writing to invite you to an interview on 3rd November at 14.00 in the hotel’s Azure conference
room. If you are able to attend at this time, please confirm your attendance by the end of
tomorrow at the latest.

The interview will last approximately one hour and the interview panel will consist of three
people: myself, Mr Ricardo Gonzalez, Regional Head of Ashton Hotels in Europe, and Ms Leila
Moncure, General Manager for the London hotel. Our questions will focus on your suitability for
the job, based on the attached job description and selection criteria.

We advise you to arrive at the hotel by public transport as parking cannot be offered. The hotel is
three minutes’ walk from Green Park underground station, or buses 141 and 143 stop in front of
the main entrance. Please let me know if you have any special requirements which we might need
to consider in relation to the interview arrangements.

We look forward to meeting you.

Yours sincerely

Ewa Gobcewicz

Head of Human Resources

 3. Read the email again. Are these sentences true (T) or false (F)?
1. The interview is in the afternoon. ––––
2. The candidate needs to write back and say she can come. ––––
3. The interview will finish around four o’clock. ––––
4. There will be three people at the interview including the candidate. ––––
5. The candidate has to ask for a job description and a list of reasons for selection. ––––
6. The hotel has parking she can use. ––––
7. The underground train or bus is convenient for the hotel. ––––
8. Ms Gobcewicz offers the candidate help in connection with attending the interview. ––––

4. The phrases in the email can be used in other types of invitation (e.g. to a meeting, a seminar, a
conference, etc.). Find the phrases used for the following:

1. Referring back to previous contact:

2. Inviting someone to an event:
3. Asking for the person to confirm attendance:
4. Describing the length of the event:
5. Giving travel suggestions and information:
6. Offering further help with particular needs:
7. Referring to future contact:

5.You work for a training company. You are organising a training seminar for
people in the hospitality industry. One client, Mr Hoffman, is interested in the
seminar and sent you an email asking about the event. Write a formal reply using the
phrases in Exercise 4 and these details:

Name of seminar: ‘Using social media in the hospitality industry’

5th June 09.00–17.00
Date and place of seminar: Training Room B in Garton Park Centre
Peter Reed, Social Media Expert
Trainers: Susie Hill, Hospitality Marketing Specialist
Attachments: Brochure with details and objectives of the seminar
Practical information: Bus 22 stops outside the Garton centre.
Parking is also available.